The Microcosm
The world writ small.
As I was going along Zongfu Lu just east of Tianfu Square, I happened to meet Masters Lao, Kong and Meng who accosted me and asked me where I was going. I told them that I was heading to Chunxi Lu and asked where they had been or were going.
“We’re going to 百人庄,” said Master Lao.
“I’ve never heard of it,” I replied. “Is it famous for something?”
“There are only a hundred people living in the village,” said Master Kong. “About thirty of them are Europeans and about one in eight are Africans.”
“About half are men and half are women and half are homosexuals,” added Master Meng who paused for a moment. “Oh dear. It seems I’m doing things by halves again. About half a dozen are homosexuals. The village religion is supposedly Christianity, but only about thirty are Christians.”
“It sounds like at interesting mixture of people,” I said.
“It is,” Master Lao said, “but things there are not all well. Six people own nearly half of everything, while many of the villagers have sub-standard housing.”
“But is it not normal for a few people to have a disproportionate amount of the wealth?” said Master Kong. “There are always people who are more talented or Fortune favours them with some opportunity just at the right moment. Similarly, not everyone can live in the best houses because we must live where we can afford to live.”
“Is that natural?” I wondered. “Did anyone help them?”
“I think it is natural; and at first they helped themselves, but then afterwards they got the others to help them,” Master Kong continued. “The dominant birds and animals always get the greatest share. The tallest trees in the forest get the most light while the lowest plants get the least. Just because people, who are natural organisms, are like this doesn’t mean that this state isn’t natural.”
“But is it fair?”
“Indeed not,” said Master Meng, “but it is natural and I’m sure Nature will sort things out in the end.”
“But it shouldn’t be natural that half the village shows signs of malnourishment and about a third of serious malnourishment,” Master Lao said.
“How can that be?” I asked. “Is it because of the greediness of the richest six?”
But my friends could not say if it was.
“Many are suffering from disease and many of them because they have no clean water, but must draw it from the village’s drainage ditch,” said Master Kong.
“Are the richest people in the village to blame again? Do they take too much of the water? Why don’t they spend some money on sinking more wells?” I could not imagine why they would let this happen, but Master Kong was uncertain why this was.
“They can apply to the village chief,” explained Master Meng, “but in writing, which is a skill only about a third of them have. And only the deputy head of the village has been to university.”
“Is it really necessary for all of them to be literate?” said Master Lao. “Or for more to go to university.”
“It would be advantageous on both counts,” said Master Kong.
“But if too many go to university, then that devalues their achievements and pushes up the price of jobs. Shepherds would not seem to benefit from a degree in Ovine Management since they learn about sheep through experience,” Master Meng replied.
“And literacy is, really, an artificial form of language because we primarily speak and listen,” said Master Lao.
“But don’t those who are literate then, in effect, control those who are not by controlling the flow of information?” I said.
“True,” Master Lao then admitted, “but if the literate are benevolent, then they will use their knowledge to the benefit of others.”
“Then we have to hope they are benevolent,” said Master Kong. “I’m not sure about the six, though. We heard a report that there was trouble in the village and two of them were going to restore order.”
“Harmony and social stability are so important,” said Master Meng without a trace of irony.
And with that we went our separate ways.
As I was going along Zongfu Lu just east of Tianfu Square, I happened to meet Masters Lao, Kong and Meng who accosted me and asked me where I was going. I told them that I was heading to Chunxi Lu and asked where they had been or were going.
“We’re going to 百人庄,” said Master Lao.
“I’ve never heard of it,” I replied. “Is it famous for something?”
“There are only a hundred people living in the village,” said Master Kong. “About thirty of them are Europeans and about one in eight are Africans.”
“About half are men and half are women and half are homosexuals,” added Master Meng who paused for a moment. “Oh dear. It seems I’m doing things by halves again. About half a dozen are homosexuals. The village religion is supposedly Christianity, but only about thirty are Christians.”
“It sounds like at interesting mixture of people,” I said.
“It is,” Master Lao said, “but things there are not all well. Six people own nearly half of everything, while many of the villagers have sub-standard housing.”
“But is it not normal for a few people to have a disproportionate amount of the wealth?” said Master Kong. “There are always people who are more talented or Fortune favours them with some opportunity just at the right moment. Similarly, not everyone can live in the best houses because we must live where we can afford to live.”
“Is that natural?” I wondered. “Did anyone help them?”
“I think it is natural; and at first they helped themselves, but then afterwards they got the others to help them,” Master Kong continued. “The dominant birds and animals always get the greatest share. The tallest trees in the forest get the most light while the lowest plants get the least. Just because people, who are natural organisms, are like this doesn’t mean that this state isn’t natural.”
“But is it fair?”
“Indeed not,” said Master Meng, “but it is natural and I’m sure Nature will sort things out in the end.”
“But it shouldn’t be natural that half the village shows signs of malnourishment and about a third of serious malnourishment,” Master Lao said.
“How can that be?” I asked. “Is it because of the greediness of the richest six?”
But my friends could not say if it was.
“Many are suffering from disease and many of them because they have no clean water, but must draw it from the village’s drainage ditch,” said Master Kong.
“Are the richest people in the village to blame again? Do they take too much of the water? Why don’t they spend some money on sinking more wells?” I could not imagine why they would let this happen, but Master Kong was uncertain why this was.
“They can apply to the village chief,” explained Master Meng, “but in writing, which is a skill only about a third of them have. And only the deputy head of the village has been to university.”
“Is it really necessary for all of them to be literate?” said Master Lao. “Or for more to go to university.”
“It would be advantageous on both counts,” said Master Kong.
“But if too many go to university, then that devalues their achievements and pushes up the price of jobs. Shepherds would not seem to benefit from a degree in Ovine Management since they learn about sheep through experience,” Master Meng replied.
“And literacy is, really, an artificial form of language because we primarily speak and listen,” said Master Lao.
“But don’t those who are literate then, in effect, control those who are not by controlling the flow of information?” I said.
“True,” Master Lao then admitted, “but if the literate are benevolent, then they will use their knowledge to the benefit of others.”
“Then we have to hope they are benevolent,” said Master Kong. “I’m not sure about the six, though. We heard a report that there was trouble in the village and two of them were going to restore order.”
“Harmony and social stability are so important,” said Master Meng without a trace of irony.
And with that we went our separate ways.
Tomorrow, Voltaire walks his dog. Bring a leash.
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